Hotel lending isn’t dead in 2026—but it’s definitely different.

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase Keller sits down with Ryan Bosch, Principal at Arriba Capital, to unpack what’s really getting financed right now, what lenders are passing on, and how owners can structure deals that actually close.

Ryan explains why cash flow—not hope—is the single factor driving credit decisions, how banks have quietly reopened to hospitality, and what separates financeable stories from expensive lessons. From PIP-heavy properties to construction loans and bridge-to-perm plays, he outlines what lenders want to see long before term sheets hit your inbox.

If you own one to five franchise hotels and you’re thinking about refinancing, renovating, or buying again, this episode is your practical guide to surviving (and thriving in) today’s debt markets

What happens when an institutional finance guy stops analyzing deals… and starts operating them?

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase sits down with Tom Bono, Managing Partner of Bono Capital Group, to talk about the real-world playbook behind buying underperforming motel assets and turning them into boutique, higher-performing hospitality properties.

Tom shares how his early career in structured finance shaped the way he underwrites risk, why he prefers “buying potential” instead of paying for stabilized performance, and what practical changes actually move the needle—especially when ADR is frozen, systems are outdated, and operations are running on habit instead of strategy.

You’ll also hear Tom walk through his team’s mindset around adding revenue streams (not just renovating rooms), leveraging dynamic pricing tools and modern PMS platforms, and finding “hidden NOI” in places most owners overlook—laundry ops, cleaning cost structure, and small amenity upgrades that improve the guest experience and the margin.

Topics we cover

1. Tom’s path from Queens/Long Island to Ernst & Young to full-time real estate operator
2. Why boutique motels are trending—and why “motel stigma” is often operational, not inherent
3. The first moves after close: tech stack, management, expense cleanup, and revenue expansion
4. What Tom considers non-negotiable in a modern motel operation (pricing + PMS)
5. Advice for owners thinking about a sale in the next 12–24 months

Disclaimer

This episode is for informational purposes only and is not investment, legal, or tax advice.

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase Keller sits down with Rachel Humphrey—attorney, former AAHOA executive, and founder of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance—to explore a remarkable career defined by reinvention and impact.

Rachel shares how she traded trial law for trade associations, how leadership “chose her,” and what she learned from years representing hotel owners and leading the nation’s largest hospitality organization. She opens up about the moment she realized self-care was essential to sustainable leadership, why collaboration beats competition, and how she’s using her Alliance and podcast, It’s Personal Stories, to elevate diverse voices and bring humanity back into hospitality.

Whether you’re a hotel owner, an emerging leader, or simply love great stories, this episode delivers insight, authenticity, and inspiration from one of hospitality’s most respected voices.

In this episode, Chase sits down with hotel mortgage broker Larry Yells to unpack the current state of hotel financing and what owners need to know heading into 2025.

Larry has spent more than two decades navigating the ups and downs of capital markets for hotel owners — from the “good old days” of 75% leverage to today’s tighter lending standards. He breaks down who’s still lending, what loan products are working, and how to position your deal for success in a challenging environment.

You’ll learn:

• What’s really driving today’s lending landscape for hotels
• The difference between SBA, conventional, CMBS, and bridge loans
• How leverage, DSCR, and loan-to-cost ratios have shifted
• Why “clean books” and transparency matter more than ever
• What lenders look for in flagged vs. independent hotels
• Where the biggest opportunities (and challenges) are emerging for 2025–2026

Larry also shares real-world financing stories, including one memorable “elevator nightmare” that almost tanked a deal — and what owners can learn from it.

Tagline: The only place where debt talk won’t put you to sleep.

Peachtree Group CEO Greg Friedman joins me for a deep dive on his founder journey and the operating system behind one of hospitality’s most active platforms. We talk about growing up around hotels, launching Peachtree in 2007, and the decisive pivots through the GFC and COVID. Greg explains how an “owner-lender-operator” perspective shapes underwriting, where mispriced risk actually shows up, and why some of the best deals are the ones you don’t do. We get into the debt wall, capex and brand realities, how private credit and note buys fit their toolkit, and when ground-up still beats acquisition. If you want to understand how a top platform navigates dislocation without chasing hype, this one’s for you.

Topics: founder origin; Peachtree’s evolution (equity, operations, lending); mispriced risk defined; deal funnel discipline; debt maturities & bid-ask; select-service development vs. buy; capex/PIPs; management insights feeding credit; rules Greg won’t break.

In this episode of The Room Key, Chase sits down with Danielle Beckcom, Founder & CEO of TADA Hotel Consulting. Danielle shares her journey from front desk agent to industry leader, and the lessons she’s learned along the way about sales, revenue management, and what hotel owners need to know to stay competitive.

You’ll hear:

• How a simple front desk habit launched Danielle’s career in sales
• Why training and engaging your front desk team is critical to hotel profitability
• The biggest blind spots hotel owners face when demand shifts or costs rise
• How sales and revenue management work best when they work together
• The future of remote sales — and why more owners are embracing it

Danielle’s insights are packed with practical tips owners can apply today, whether you run one property or an entire portfolio.

Every hotel owner knows the business is cash-hungry — payroll, PIPs, taxes, debt service. But too often, the financial side is neglected until it’s too late. In this episode of The Room Key, I sit down with Paden Squires, CPA and CFP®, to talk about the financial playbook every hotel owner should be running.

We dive into:

• Why clean, consistent financials are the foundation of every good business decision
• The most common mistakes hotel owners make with their books
• Separating personal wealth planning from hotel operations
• How to approach debt and leverage without becoming a forced seller
• Entity structures and tax planning every owner should know
• Cost segregation and the return of 100% bonus depreciation — how aggressive is too aggressive?
• Preparing for the “dirty surprise” of depreciation recapture at sale

Whether you own one property or a portfolio, this conversation will help you see your numbers as more than compliance — they’re the key to growing wealth, protecting your business, and making smarter long-term moves.

• The journey from standard to ultra-luxury hotel design
• Why great design doesn’t end at the ribbon-cutting
• What owners often forget after opening day
• Why “luxury” is more about time and space than money
• How lifestyle hotels are misunderstood—and often overpriced
• Trends that excite her (and the ones she thinks are overhyped)
• The role of sustainability and wellness in the next decade of hospitality